BOX SCORE WATERLOO, Ont. (January 4, 2014) - The No. 8 Queen's Gaels improved to 12-0-5 on the season with a 3-1 win against the Laurier Golden Hawks in OUA men's hockey action on Saturday night.

Patrick McGillis (Calgary) had a goal and an assist to lead the Gaels while Vinny Merante was a standout for Laurier stopping 50 of 52 shots in the game. The Gaels sit atop the OUA East as they stretch their program best start to 17 games without a regulation loss. The team has now won its last six straight games.

In the first period it was the Golden Hawks who got on the board first. Joe Vanni scored his first of the season at 6:16 into the opening frame beating Gaels starting netminder Chris Clarke (Fall River, N.S.).

Queen's was able to respond mid-way through the period on the man-advantage. McGillis scored his sixth goal of the season with assists from Chris Van Laren (Kingston, Ont.) and Corey Bureau (Amherstview, Ont.). The two teams tied with 17 shots apiece in the first period.

Only 2:21 into the second, it was Jordan Coccimiglio (Burlington, Ont.) netting his third goal of the season to put the Gaels in front for the first time in the game. Queen's was dominant in the period managing 19 shots on goal to the Golden Hawks 10 but were only able to tally the lone goal.

The Gaels added another 17 shots in the third to bring their game total to 52 on the night and it was Bureau who sealed the win for Queen's with an empty net goal to finish the game. 

Clarke was sharp between the pipes for Queen's stopping 33 of 34 shots for the win.

The Gaels return home next weekend as they get set to host the Carleton Ravens on Friday and the McGill Redmen on Saturday. Both games are set for 7:30pm at the Memorial Centre in Kingston.